Page 34 of Ivory Obsession
“Of course,” Rami replied, though his eyes narrowed slightly. “But let’s not forget—every masterpiece has its price. You know that better than almost anyone, Moretti.”
“Well, enjoy the show.”
“You too. Nice to meet you, Dr. Bentley,” he said.
With one last lingering look, he sauntered off into the crowd. As soon as he was out of earshot, I turned to Jade, searching her face for signs of concern. “Sorry about that,” I offered, though I knew it wasn’t enough to erase the tension.
“Who is that?” she asked.
“Business associate,” I told her. “My family and his are trade partners. He’s really not so bad once you get to know him.”
“It’s fine,” she said, though her voice trembled ever so slightly. “Just...unexpected.”
“Let’s move away from here,” I suggested, guiding her to a quieter corner. “Tell me everything. What’s been happening at the lab this week?”
She regarded me, her eyes narrowing. “You know,” she said. “You ask me a lot about my work, but…you don’t seem that interested in me.”
Her statement hit me like a freight train. I didn’t expect her to confront me so directly, but I welcomed it. It gave me a chance to show her my cards, or at least some of them.
“I apologize if I’ve given you that impression,” I said, meeting her gaze with sincerity etched into my features. “The truth is...I’m interested in you more than you know. Is that why you’ve been so hot and cold with texting?”
Jade blinked, caught off guard by my candor. She opened her mouth to respond but hesitated, her fingers twirling around the edge of her glass nervously.
“Your work is remarkable,” I said. “And it’s…common ground. I can talk to you about what interests you all day long, all night long. You’re such a fascinating person. I just…”
I trailed off, sighing as I looked at her, struggling to find the words. “I just… I’m not good at this,” I finally admitted. “I’ve never been good at opening up, at... letting people in. You are the most interesting person I’ve ever met, but I know that if I ask you questions about yourself, you’re going to ask me questions about myself. And honestly? I don’t want to spook you.”
I watched as a range of emotions flickered across her face - surprise, confusion, sympathy and something else. Something that made my heart pound just a bit faster.
“You think you’ll scare me off?” she asked, her voice softer now.
“I have a feeling you might not like what you see if you dig too deep,” I admitted, my gaze steady on hers.
She took a sip of her drink. “Why?”
“Because it’s easier to be charming and make you come than it is to tell you about my ailing father or about all the pressure I have at work,” I whispered in her ear. “Because you’re stunning, and you deserve someone to sweep you off your feet. You don’t have to deal with my shit, Jade. I can deal with it myself.”
She stared at me for a long moment, her eyes probing mine as if she was trying to uncover what lay beneath my words. Then she sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to echo through the silent room.
“Dante,” she said, her voice almost too quiet to hear. “Everyone has their struggles, their burdens. You don’t have to carry yours alone.”
I swallowed against the lump in my throat, surprised by her empathy. Was it possible she could see beyond the facade, beyond the son of a mafia kingpin who was expected to take over the family business?
“But...” I started, but Jade cut me off with a soft hand on my arm.
“No buts,” she said firmly. “You think you’re protecting me by keeping me at a distance...but you’re just pushing me away.”
“Maybe it’s better for you if I keep you away. Did you consider that?”
“I’m a grown-ass woman,” she said. “And I get to decide if I want to stay away from you.”
And just like that, she pressed her lips against mine—right there, in public—and kissed me.
Chapter Fourteen: Dante
The gallery’s chatter and the clinking of glasses faded into the night as I led Jade out onto the New York sidewalk. The autumn air was crisp, a sharp contrast to the warmth we’d left behind. My hand brushed hers as I flagged down a cab, the contact sending an electric jolt up my arm.
“Where to?” the cabbie grunted as we slid into the backseat.